1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an automatic and/or manual toilet bowl cleaning device where the inner surface of the toilet bowl can be cleaned around the entire circumference of the toilet bowl. The device includes a spray bar that effectively delivers a cleaner around the circumference of a toilet bowl. The spray bar may include nozzles to direct the flow of the cleaner.
2. Description of the Related Art
Toilet bowls require care to prevent the buildup of unsightly deposits, to reduce odors, and to prevent bacteria growth. Traditionally, toilet bowls have been cleaned, deodorized, and disinfected by manual scrubbing with a liquid or powdered cleaning and sanitizing agent. This task has required manual labor to keep the toilet bowl clean.
In order to eliminate the detested manual scrubbing, various toilet bowl cleaner dispensers have been proposed. One type of dispenser comprises a solid block or solid particles of a cleansing and freshening substance that is suspended from the rim of a toilet bowl in a container that is placed in the path of the flushing water. U.S. Pat. No. 4,777,670 shows an example of this type of toilet bowl cleaning system. Typically, a portion of the solid block is dissolved in the flush water with each flush, and the flush water having dissolved product is dispensed into the toilet bowl for cleaning the bowl.
Other toilet bowl cleaning systems use a liquid cleaning agent that is dispensed into a toilet bowl. For example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,178,564 and 6,230,334, and PCT International Publication Nos. WO 99/66139 and WO 99/66140 all disclose cleansing and/or freshening devices capable of being suspended from the rim of a toilet bowl for introducing liquid active substances from a bottle into the flushing water with each flush. In these under the toilet rim devices, the liquid active substances are delivered downward from a reservoir to a dispensing plate that is supported by a base that is suspended from the toilet bowl rim. The device may be suspended from the toilet rim such that the flow of flush water from the toilet contacts the dispensing plate during a flush. The flush water carries the liquid active substances that are on the dispensing plate into the toilet bowl to clean and/or freshen the toilet.
Other toilet bowl dispensers use an aerosol deodorizing and/or cleaning agent that is dispensed into a toilet bowl through a conduit attached to the toilet bowl rim. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,178,070 discloses an aerosol container mounted by a bracket on a toilet rim with a tube extending over the rim; and U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,029,286 and 5,862,532 disclose dispensers for a toilet bowl including a pressurized reservoir of fluid, a conduit connected to the source of fluid, and a spray nozzle which is installed on the toilet rim. Accordingly, such devices are often referred to as “under the rim”-type devices.
One disadvantage with traditional toilet rim dispensing devices is that these devices may only apply the deodorizing and/or cleaning agent to one location in the toilet water or a limited area in the toilet water or on the inner surface of the toilet bowl. As a result, the cleaning of the inner surface of the toilet bowl may be limited to an area of the toilet bowl near the device.
U.S. Patent Application Publication Nos. 2007/0136937, 2007/0234470, 2007/0240252-2008/0017762, and 2009/0000016 (which are incorporated herein by reference) are owned by the owner of the current invention. These publications set forth, among others, an automatic and/or manual toilet bowl cleaning device where the inner surface of the toilet bowl is cleaned around the entire circumference of the toilet bowl.
In one example embodiment illustrated in U.S. 2007/0136937, the downstream end of a fluid supply conduit terminates in a nozzle capable of spraying the cleaning fluid outwardly onto the inner surface of the toilet bowl at locations below the toilet waterline, and/or locations at the toilet waterline, and/or locations above the toilet waterline, and/or locations under the toilet rim. A mounting clip at a location near the rim of the toilet bowl may attach the nozzle to the toilet bowl. The mounting clip can house a proximity or motion sensor that detects the presence of a person. Manual delivery of the cleaning fluid from a fluid supply container to the fluid supply conduit may be achieved by pressing a manual activation button that is in electrical communication with a control circuit that turns on an electrically driven pump that delivers the cleaning fluid into the fluid supply conduit and into the spray nozzle. Automatic delivery of the cleaning fluid from a fluid supply container to the fluid supply conduit can also be achieved pressing an activation button that is in electrical communication with a control circuit that controls on an electrically driven pump. Immediately after the user presses the activation button, fluid delivery occurs at selected time intervals (e.g. every eight hours). The proximity sensor that is in electrical communication with the control circuit can stop initiation of a spray cycle if a person is near the toilet bowl.
In addition to such under the rim devices, a number of devices have been described that deliver a composition via a spray nozzle to the toilet bowl. An exemplary device is described in PCT Pub. No. WO 2009/027246. Such a device may perform exceptionally well in the delivery of the cleanser and/or fragrance and/or composition to the inside of the toilet bowl. However, such a device may not effectively dispense chemicals and/or composition to the toilet while a consumer is using the toilet because of concerns that the consumer may be surprised by any contact with the composition. Existing spray-type devices often include one or more sensors to reduce or eliminate such concerns. Alternatively, some automated toilet products provide a relatively mild alkaline or acidic composition that will not irritate consumers' skin in anticipation of the composition contacting a consumer.
In view of the advances in the art provided by the devices of U.S. Patent Application Publication Nos. 2007/0136937, 2007/0234470, 2007/0240252, 2008/0017762 and 2009/0000016 even further improvements to this technology would be beneficial to consumers.
Thus, there is a need for an improved automatic or manual toilet bowl-cleaning device where substantially the entire inner surface of the toilet bowl may be cleaned while also providing a high level of comfort to the user, even while the user may be otherwise engaged in using the toilet. In some embodiments of the envisioned improved automatic toilet bowl-cleaning device, the device may be activated while a consumer is using the toilet and/or the device may be activated in such a way that there is little to no opportunity for discharging composition onto the user.